Media recyclers receive media deposited by a first customer as part of one transaction, and then subsequently dispense the deposited media to another customer as part of another transaction. A common type of media used in such recyclers is banknotes.
One advantage of banknote recyclers is that they reduce the number of banknote replenishment operations required, thereby saving money for the owner or operator of the media recycler.
There are also disadvantages associated with banknote recyclers. For example, recyclers need to be able to receive and dispense multiple denominations, each denomination typically needing its own store and pathway. The multiple pathways (including the associated transport components and gates) that are required to store and retrieve different denominations of banknotes typically result in either a high cost or a low reliability for such banknote recyclers. Some applications, such as the retail industry and the vending industry, require low cost banknote recyclers that are reliable.